Tri-Ed Tutoring

07/08/2026

This is an interesting article on the "Test Blind" SAT/ACT policy that the University of California system adopted seven years ago. Did eliminating the SAT and ACT from admissions decisions work to accomplish their goals? What I find most interesting is that the Standardized Testing Task Force recommended keeping the SAT/ACT requirement, but UC decided to go against the recommendation and remove the SAT/ACT from admissions decisions.

What do you think? Is the SAT or ACT the problem, or is it highlighting a problem in K12 education?

Under the test-blind policy, more students are thrown into classes for which they are unprepared.

03/23/2026

Students often struggle with identifying the subject of a sentence. Check out our latest video on YouTube for tips on how to approach subject verb agreement questions on the SAT.

Join the head of Tri-ed Tutoring in learning the basics to subject verb agreement!

02/10/2026

For the first time in a year, College Board finally released a new practice test: Practice Test 11! I know juniors that are prepping for the March SAT have been anxiously waiting for more material to use for prep.

If you are a junior and have already taken the other tests available in Bluebook, take this practice test now to give yourself a couple of weeks to identify any finaI weak areas to review before March. If you are just starting your SAT prep journey, use the earlier tests first. The more recently released tests are usually the closest to the real thing so you'll want to save Test 11 for close to your SAT date.

Need more direction? Contact Tri-Ed Tutoring!

12/30/2025

As I continue my reflection of teachers, I think about those teachers that you don’t appreciate until much later in life. For me, that teacher was Ms. Emilienburg, my 8th grade English teacher. At 14 years old, I had the gift of gab and was chronically late for her class due to spending a bit too much time chatting by my locker. After three tardies and more than a few warnings, she wrote me a referral, and I got a trip to the principal’s office. It was the only referral I ever received. I thought she was such a stickler curmudgeon and was absolutely outraged that I got a (very much deserved) referral!

She wasn’t just a stickler about punctuality, though; she also had incredibly high expectations of our writing skills. She drilled grammar and punctuation rules into us and was a very harsh grader of essays. At the time, I thought she was unfair. Now, I teach students the rules of grammar and punctuation every day. When I think about how I can write properly without grammar and spell check or when I return to a text message to correct the punctuation, I always think of Ms. Emilienburg and silently send gratitude to a teacher that had higher expectations of me than I had of myself!

Did you have a teacher, tutor, or coach that you really disliked at the time but are now grateful for?

12/12/2025

The holiday season always feels like a time of reflection for me. The December SAT was last weekend, and we had many students that took the test. Although we haven’t received the results yet, I’ve already heard one of my favorite comments from some of the parents of these students: “I have seen his confidence improve which has helped beyond this exam.” Yes, we are preparing for the SAT but, often, the prep has more benefits than just a better score on a test. It made me start thinking of the teachers, tutors, and coaches throughout my life that really made an impact beyond just teaching me a subject in school.

One teacher that comes to mind for me is Ms. Lovern, my first-grade teacher. She was a new teacher at the time. I was a talkative, precocious child. I’m sure I made her life more difficult because I would speed through my work and then talk and distract all the kids around me. Luckily for me, she saw me as an intelligent child that needed more challenge, rather than just a behavior problem in class. She pushed for me to get more work and recommended me for additional services for enrichment. I still think of her fondly so many years later.

What teachers, tutors, or adults have had an impact on your life?

11/13/2025

Need help preparing for the SAT? Learn the tricks you need for each question type in our next small group SAT prep class at Battlefield High School. See the full schedule and register at https://tri-edtutoring.com/small-group-classes/

10/07/2025

Mark your calendars — fall 2025 brings several major college and career fairs across Arlington, Fairfax, and Prince William counties. Whether your student is beginning to explore or ready to dive deep into applications, these fairs are a great resource. More details can be found in our latest blog: https://tri-edtutoring.com/upcoming-college-fairs-in-northern-virginia-fall-2025/

Need help improving SAT/ACT scores or finalizing the college essay? Contact us today!

08/28/2025

Did everyone survive the first week or two of school? My boys are finishing up their second week of school with a four day weekend ahead of them.

The start of this school year was bittersweet for me personally. Last week, I sent my youngest to kindergarten at the “big school”. He has been so ready to join his big brother, and he was so happy to have big brother walk him to class (that’s them in the picture!). I was so happy and relieved to see how well he adjusted to the first two weeks, but I also found myself getting sucked into photo memories of his baby pictures and feeling a twinge of sadness that the baby and preschool years are fully behind me.

Whether you are sending your student off to kindergarten, college, or somewhere in between, I hope the beginning of the year is off to a good start! Wherever you are in your academic journey, we are here to support you!

07/04/2025

Happy ! We hope you enjoy this day with your friends and family. 🇺🇸🎆🎉

06/30/2025

Is there a difference between an SAT/ACT prep tutor and a math or English tutor? Yes! It's important to know the content that is tested but you also need a tutor that understands the set up of the test to help guide you through the best ways to approach each question type. The best way to quickly and accurately answer a question on the SAT often is not the same way you would approach a question in your math class.

Need help preparing for the SAT or ACT? Contact Tri-Ed Tutoring today!